Skate



Patented Oct. 8, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SKATE- Oscar B. Welker,

Middletown, Conn.

Application April 17, 1934, Serial No. 720,994

12 Claims.

My invention relates to the class of articles hereinabove mentioned, and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of a skate that may be readily attached to a shoe or boot in a particularly efcient manner.

One form or a skate embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of my improved skate.

Figure 2 is a top view of the same.

Figure 3 is a bottom View with the front wheels or rollers removed by breaking ofi the bracket therefor.

Figure 4 is a front view with parts beyond omitted.

Figure 5 is a side View showing a modied form of construction of the skate.

Figure 6 is a bottom View of the latter with the front wheels or rollers removed.

Figure '7 is a view in cross section on a plane Idenoted by the dotted line 'l-l' of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a view in longitudinal section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Figure 9 is a view in cross section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 9-9 of Figure 5.

Figure l is a View in longitudinal section on a plane denoted by the dotted line IEB-i0 of Fig. 6.

My invention, as will be apparent, applies to that type of skates known as roller skates, in the drawings herein the numeral l denoting a toe plate and the numeral 8 denoting a heel plate, these plates having Shanks 9 and I0 overlapping one another, the shank 9 having overturned lips l I within which downwardly bent sides l2 of the shank l0 slidably extend for purposes of adjustment, which adjustment may be obtained by means of a headed stud i3 secured to the shank 9 and projecting through a slot I4 in the shank l0, said shanks being secured together as by means of a nut (not shown) screwed onto the threaded lower end of the stud. This adjustment is for the purpose of tting the skate to different sized shoes or boots.

Toe clips i are slidably attached to the bottom of the toe plate i as by means of slotted extensions I6 underneath the plate, the clips projecting above the plate in position to be clamped against the edges of a sole of a shoe or boot. A T-shaped stud dl projects from the edge of the toe plate 'l through said slot, the T-shaped end being given to the stud as by forming a head after the clip has been placed in position.

Bell crank levers i8 are pivotally secured to the underside of the toe plate, one arm of each lever being pivotally attached to one of the extensions l and the other arm of each lever having a siot which is engaged by a pin I 9 at the end of an actuating rod 29 extending rearwardly 5 through a notch in the bottom edge of a guide 2i projecting from the underside of the plate The rear end of this rod extends through a bar 22 projecting across the skate underneath the shanks 9 and Iii and secured at its opposite ends to ears 10 23 of a clamp lever 24 pivotally mounted in lever supports 25 projecting downwar-dly at opposite edges from the shank 9 of the toe plate l. The upper end of the clamp lever is formed into a foot pad positioned to underlie the heel of the 15 wearer, so that when the skate is placed in position on a boot or shoe the weight of the wearer pressing the foot pad 26v downwardly will force the actuating rod 20 forwardly and thereby swing the arms of the bell crank levers attached to the 20 toe clips inwardly and clamp the forward part of the skate tightly against the edge of the sole 0I" the boot or shoe. A spring 2l is employed to hold the foot pad in its raised position and as shown in Fig'. 1 of the drawings. 25

The heel of the skate is secured in place to a boot or shoe as by means of a strap 2S passed through a holding plate 29 projecting upwardly from the heel plate, and wheels or rollers Eil-3l may be secured to the heel plate 8 and to the toe 30 plate l in any suitable manner, this forming no part of my present invention. An important feature of my invention resides in the structure whereby all of the clamping mechanism is mounted on the forward portion of the skate so that in adjustments of the forward part with respect to ie rear portion the clamping mechanism will be carried by the iront portion.

It will have been observed that the heel and toe plates comprise a foot rest to support the foot of the wearer, and that the size of this foot rest may be readily changed to fit diierent sizes of boots or shoes, as may be desired. An important feature of my invention is embodied in means to provide for a yielding grip of the toe clips i5 on the soles of the boots or shoes and in means for varying the amount of such grip, and to this end I place a spring 32 on the rod i, with one end of the spring thrusting against the bar 22 and the opposite end of the spring thrusting against a nut threaded onto the rod and as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. As shown this nut has a sleeve 4| rigid therewith and extending loosely through the bar 22, a lip 42 on the end of the sleeve preventing it from being withdrawn 55 from the bar. The rod 20 passes loosely through said sleeve and by means of the nut the toe clips l5 are readily tted to the sole of a` boot or shoe and then the nut is further turned to increase the tension of the spring to such extent as may be desired.

In that form of the device shown in Figures 5 and 6 the parts are mainly of thesame construction as hereinbeiore described, the main. cfference being that the clamp lever 24 is pivotally mounted at its lower end in ears 33 projecting downwardly from opposite sides of the flanges 34 of the toe plate, the bar 22 Yextending between the side parts 35 oi the lever which project downwardly through slots at opposite edges of the heel plate. The connecting rod 3&5 passes through the bar, as in the structure hereinbeiore described, and a nut 31 threaded ontothe end of the rod is employed for adjusting the tension of the spring 32 as in the former instance.

In order to provide for an adjustment of the toe clips l5 in this later construction a turn bucklerSS is threaded onto adjacent ends of the rod 36 and a section 39 thereof, which section is attached to the bell crank levers as hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1; A skate/including a foot rest, a clamp lever pivotally supported by said rest and having a pad overlying the heel portion of Vthe foot rest, toe clips movablyV attached to the toe portion of the foot rest for clamping action against the sole of a boot or shoe, and an operative connection between said clamp lever and said toe clips for op- Ysaid toe clips for operating them, and a rod connecting said actuating levers with said clamp Y lever for operation of the former by the latter.

3. A skate including a foot rest, a clamp lever pivotally supportedby said rest and having a pad Y overlying the heel portion ofthe foot rest, toe

clips movably mounted on the toe portion oi the foot rest for clamping action against the sole'of a bootor shoe, bell-crank levers pivotally mounted on the toe portion of said foot rest with one end or" each lever pivotally attached to a toe clip, and alconnecting rod pivotally attached to the opposite end of each of said levers and operatively connecting them with said clamp lever.

4. A skate including a foot rest, a clamp lever,

having ears pivotally mounted at opposite sides pad overlying the heel portion of the foot rest,`

toe clips movably attached to the toe portion of the foot rest for clamping action against the sole of a boot or shoe, an operative connection between said clamp lever and said toe clips for operation of the latter, and means for effecting lengthwise adjustment of saidconnecting rod to Y vary the width between said toe clips. y

6. A skate including a foot rest, embodying a. heel plate and a toe plate, means for adjustably 5 securing said plates together to vary the length of the foot rest comprising said plates, toe clips movably attached to the toe portion of the foot rest for clamping action against the sole of a boot or shoe, a clamp lever pivotally supported. by said foot rest, and an operative connection between said clamp lever and said toe clips for operation of the latter by the former.

7. A skate including a foot rest comprising a Ytoe plate and a heel plate overlapping one another, toe clips movably supported by the toe portion of the foot rest, a clamp lever pivotally mounted on the toe portion of said foot rest and having a pad overlying the heel portion of said foot rest, and an operative connection between said clamping lever and said toe clips for operation of the latter by the former.

8. A skate including a foot rest comprising a heel plate and a toe plate overlapping one another'at their adjacent ends, means for adjust- 25 ably securing said plates together for varying the length of said foot rest, overturned lips from one of said plates to receive opposite edges of the other of said plates, toe clips movably supported by the toe portion of said foot rest, a clamp lever pivotally mounted on the foot rest, and a connecting rod operatively connecting said clamp lever and toe clips for operation of the latter by the former.

9. A skate including a footrest comprising a heel plate and a toe plate, one of said plates hav-V ing down turned flanges between which the other plate is located, lips on one of said plates turned about the edge of the opposite plate to prevent Y separation of said plates, toe clips movably supported by said toe plate, a clamp lever pivotally mounted on said foot rest and a connecting rod operatively connecting said toe clips and clamp lever for operation of the former by the latter.

10. A skate including a foot rest, a clamp lever pivotally attached to said rest, toe clips movably supported by the toe portion of the foot rest for clamping action against the sole of a. boot or shoe, and an operative connection between said clamp lever and toe clips for operation of the lat- 50 ter and for varying the amount of grip of said toe clips against said sole.

11. A skate including a foot rest, a clamp lever pivotally attached to said rest, toe clips movably supported by the toe portion of the foot rest, a connection between said toe clips and clamp lever including a rod operatively connected at one end with said toe clips and at its opposite end with said lever, a spring mounted on said rod to exert its force thereagainst, and means for varying the tension of the spring to vary the grip ofrsaid toe clipsY against the sole of a boot or shoe.

12. A skate including a foot rest, a clamp lever movably supported by and having a pad overlying said foot rest, clips movably attached to the 651 foot rest for clamping actionragainst the bottom of a boot or shoe, and an operative connection between said clamp lever and said clips whereby weight upon theV pad will exert clamping action on said toe clips.

OSCAR B. WELKER. 

